During the 10th Five-Year Plan, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co, LTD (STE) undertook the R&D on earth pressure balancing shield machines (EPB shield machines), a project in the field of advanced manufacturing and automation under the 863 program.
STE made a breakthrough in designing EPB shield machines and won 3 invention patents out of the 33 patents ever authorized in the field. The company also has two utility model rights and one technology that is going through public scrutiny for the invention patent.
